Age of
Charlemagne
What are the ‘Middle Ages’?
• The time after
the Roman
Empire declined
• Medieval Europe
was fragmented
after the
Germanic Tribes
took over
Germanic Customs
• Germanic invaders could
not read or write so
learning declined
• Germanic tribes did have
a rich oral tradition of
songs and legends but
NO WRITTEN language
• No common language
since Latin began to
change from region to
region
Christianity
• Germanic tribes
adopted Christianity
• Monasteries –
communities of nuns
and monks who were
servants of God
–They were Europe’s
best educated
–They opened schools
Christianity
– Maintained libraries
– Copied important books:
this preserved GrecoRoman cultural
achievements
Monastery of the Cross
Saint George Monastery
Gregory the Great
• Missionaries carried Christianity
and the Latin alphabet to
Germanic tribes
• Gregory the Great = Pope who
expanded the pope’s power to
be involved in politics.
– He used church revenues (money)
to:
• Raise armies
• Repair Roads
• Help the Poor
The Carolingian Dynasty
• Charles Martel – Expanded Frankish
power and became more powerful
than the king
• His son Pepin the Short was anointed
by the Pope as king by the grace of
God
• This began what is known as the
reign of the Carolingian Dynasty =
time of Frankish rulers
Charles the Great
• He was 6ft 4inches = taller
than many in Europe
• AKA Charlemagne
• Becomes king of the Francs
• Quickly controlled the entire
kingdom of the Francs
• Spread Christianity and
reunited western Europe for
the first time since the
Roman Empire
Age of Charlemagne
• He regularly visited every
part of his kingdom
• Limited the power of the
nobles
• Encouraged learning which
revived Roman Culture
• The Pope crowned him
Emperor of the Holy
Roman Empire
• After he died his united
kingdom fell apart
MORE INVASIONS!
• From 800 to 1000 the Magyar
warriors terrorized Germany and Italy
• From the north, the Vikings attacked
• Vikings attacked with quick speed.
–They beached their ships, attacked,
then shoved out to sea again
–They were also traders and explorers
(Leif Ericson)
–Impressive warships
The Middle Ages
Feudalism
Feudalism Rises
• A system of
landholding and
governing
• It was based on
an exchange of
protection for
other services
Feudal Pyramid
Lords give
knights/vassals
land (fief) in
exchange for
the knights’
promise
to defend the
lord and his
land
Feudal System
lords
Feudal Society
• Rigid (strict) class structure
Fief
Vassal
Serf
Land given to a Vassal
from a Lord
The person receiving the
fief
Peasants who work the
land
• The manor is
the lord’s
estate
• The manor
system is an
economic
arrangement
that is selfsufficient
Manors
Manors
• Lord provides housing, strips of
farmland, and protection from bandits
• In return, serfs tend the lands, cared
for his animals, and maintained the
estate/manor
Life on the Manor
• Rarely traveled more than 25 miles from
the manor
• Generally 15-30 families lived in the
village on a manor
• Everything needed such as food, clothes,
fuel, lumber and leather goods were
produced on the manor
• Only outside purchases were salt, iron
and unusual objects
• Medical care was usually the responsibility
of the church